


Fond of Furlough

by FawkesFons



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Dogs, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mission Fic, POV Steve Rogers, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Protective Steve Rogers, Random & Short, Short, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Steve Feels, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-07-07 11:41:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15907563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FawkesFons/pseuds/FawkesFons
Summary: "Thunder boomed in the night and Steve caught himself hoping it might be Thor--a friend to get him out of this place--but no lightning followed the thunder and the rain only intensified."





	Fond of Furlough

**Author's Note:**

> Someone randomly said to me "I hope Steve got to meet a dog while he was off doing missions before 'Infinity War'," and thirty minutes later I wrote this. 
> 
> The moment Steve meets the dog is based on this video of the first moment Chris Evans met his dog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YTSiJlpVRw

 

He missed the ledge by just enough to send his body crashing down the fire escape and into the alley below, hitting every railing along the way. Clenching his fist to prop himself up again, grimacing as his displaced ribs righted themselves with painful spasms, Steve craned his neck toward the windows above him. He lost his quarry but at least he hadn't woken anybody in the middle of the night. It was a complex of one bedroom, fixed-income apartments. They didn't need him ruining what little sleep they could get--those of them who didn't have to work night shifts.

 

It had been raining the entire night and his suit was drenched. Rivers ran down his back and into his pants as he sat against the filthy wall. He was filthy too, suit worn beyond recognition, the star on his chest long lost by now and--if he was honest with himself--he didn't care if he ever found it again. The grime made him invisible to any passers by.

 

But not to the glinting eyes that peered at him cautiously from beneath the dumpster across the alley. Steve tensed, unprepared for whatever creature might come flying out to hurt him, until he looked closer. The eyes belonged to a mangy stray dog, now whining in low tones as it shuffled gingerly out from under the dumpster.

 

"Hey bud--hey dude" Steve whispered, pulling off his glove and extending his hand.

 

Too friendly too fast, the dog began licking its chops and struggling to cross the alley toward Steve on what he now saw to be three legs and a prosthetic metal appendage, bent uselessly at the middle, and scraping along the wet concrete. It fell in a muddy puddle and let out a pitiful moan, as Steve instinctually got up and crawled over to it, his long hair tangling over his eyes.

 

"No--oh no, c'mon" he crooned in a low voice as he scooped the dog up into his arms, "Don't try to move all by yourself, okay?" he muttered, settling against the opposite wall and tucking the dog close under his arm. Thunder boomed in the night and Steve caught himself hoping it might be Thor--a friend to get him out of this place--but no lightning followed the thunder and the rain only intensified. He hand't seen Thor in four years, but Steve realized that he wasn't the only one who needed a friend tonight.

 

The dog had settled comfortably against his ribs, lulled to a half-lidded sleep by the pounding of Steve's super-powered heart. "I got'cha now boy" he said, petting the scraggly fur, "I got'cha." He knew he shouldn't let the dog relax; that if his earpiece hadn't been knocked out of his head he'd be hearing Natasha chanting his callsign over and over. He didn't want to worry her, but now that he'd stolen a rare moment for himself, he had to admit that the work--this work--made him tired. Bone tired in a way that shouldn't be possible for bones like his.

 

It had been too long since he'd furloughed in Wakanda.

 

And...if he was honest with himself...he missed being enough to hold a broken thing together.


End file.
